obieewok wrote:Big deal in the US this week: Swine Flu. Nope, none of us have gotten vaccinated, because they don't have any to give anyone yet, and I couldn't since I'm knocked up get the thing. There's also a shortage of the regular flu vaccine, so everyone is getting all dramatic and freaky about it, so a lot of schools at least here in Texas are shutting down. I personally think it's a huge overreaction, but whatev. I plan on taking my kid to get the regular flu vaccine next week, as I am getting as well. I know a bunch of people who don't believe in vaccinations, and they are all just fine too. I do it for my own piece of mind.

Wish me luck---I made another veggie lasagna and froze it. Going to cook it tonight. We shall see!

Obs

Swine flu isn't all that bad - it certainly kills less people than normal flu. As for not vaccinating, it's probably best i don't comment on that, because I tend to go a bit spare and forget that people are entitled to opinions, no matter how misguided and wrong they are. . . . . . . On that subject though, I love how in the US the government (especially in Texas, actually), is ignoring the benefits of the cervical cancer vaccine, which will prevent milllions of deaths per year, but as soon as one person dies as a result of an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine (a tragedy, no doubt), they jump on it and want it ceased, because of the potential for death. How about a little perspective? Just because cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease, does not mean that vaccinating people against it will lead to increased promiscuity - gees, people are going to f uc k each other because they want to, not because it's suddenly slightly safer

If all drugs that had lead to a death of a person were removed from the market, there'd be bugger all left. In fact, there would be no drugs available, quite a few vitamins removed, and a lot of complementary medicines too. People will read into any situation whatever they want to prove their own point.

meh, onto less seriousness i think. . . . .

Vege lasagne - I had this the first time about 16 years ago at my best man's house (I was only 14 then, so he wasn't the best man yet) - his mom made it with full quarter chunks of tomato, carrot etc througout. I looked at it and cursed the politeness that was forcing me to eat it, but afterwards, I was very glad for those farking manners! it was great.

@Janny - on a karmic or quantum level, you can have all my walnuts. Obviously on a physical level, I could not give you my walnuts, becuase by the time they reach the top side of the planet, they'd be quite nasty. I hate walnuts, so I already think they're nasty anyway.

@ashlee_renee - g'day. Which part of the island you from?

@wingtear - you know that small writing is not small enough to get away with saying things like that . . . I swear, everyone thinks us dudes only think about sex, but the filthiest minds I've ever met all have double X chromosomes . . .

It's Friday so therefore, I am pumped. Plus, if you are around the states and work in a financial/school/etc type position, it's a long weekend thanks to good old Chris Columbus---whether he found the new world or not, not sure, but he gave me Monday off, so I love him so. So factor the weekend in with an extra day, plus a late showing tomorrow of Paranormal Activity, a showing of Invention of Lying tonight and the fact that hubs is planning something extra nice for yours truly to mark the four year anniversary (happy anniversary Janny tomorrow btw:) Give Sid a smooch for me!), I'm peppy as all get out. Even for a pregnant fat chick, I'm pretty darn peppy.

Plus Jim and Pam got married. Enough said. And I have a new episode of Vampire Diaries awaiting me at home.

Anyone notice that we seem to have a bunch of law students on here? Wonder what about Twilight attracts the leeches, er, lawyers lol.....

Janny----I am full in favor of a walnut bath. Maybe you will discover the next big thing in beauty by taking a nut bath lol....never know.

My boobs look really REALLY great today, therefore, I'm going to go hit on the vending machine dude to see if I can get a free bag of doritos. Wish me luck:)

Happy Friday/weekend ya'll:)

Obs

"Has anyone ever shown you the difference between good touch and bad touch? 'Cause I'd love to demonstrate. We could start right now.'"

obieewok wrote:Anyone notice that we seem to have a bunch of law students on here? Wonder what about Twilight attracts the leeches, er, lawyers lol.....

Who else is in law school? I thought I was suffering alone here in hell!

Pharmer: You are going to think I'm a loon because I don't trust vaccinations or really medications that are brand new on the market. I like to wait to see what the unknown complications are before I find out fist hand. I've actually never had a flu shot but that's because I'm not part of an "at risk" demographic.

great costume, really cute!i wish halloween was big around here, but it isnt our friends usually give a party with halloween so i still get to dress up, but im not sure if theres a party this yr.(thank gawd for fantasy fairs!).

about the vaccins, i dont like new ones either, you dont know what the effect will be in 20 yrs.Ive never had a flushot either(ive never even had abitbiotics!), but i did get a lot of vaccins when i was a kid. Those are pretty normal here,last one you get is around 9 orso.

The swinflu...is that like the mexican/new flu? because swinflue around here is something diff.sid got a card to get his mexican flu vaccin and the flu vaccin. we are not sure if he should get them.(last time he was sick for 2 months).

Thanx for the congrats oobs, same to you. how did it go with the vendingmachineguy?

To Rose---nope, you aren't the only wanna be leech on here lol.....I wanna say Ally is also studying, as is someone else who I can't peg----anyone care to back me up on this? But nope---I know there are at least three of you on here. Good to know when I get thrown in the slammer:)

To Janny (as I eat my free doritos:) Went well. Sure, he gave me the expired doritos, but a free chip is a free chip lol. I would have gotten some new ones, but right as he was oggling my eye goodies Ruthicon came in and asked me about the baby----way to C Block a chick from Doritos dude. I have plans for her that include superglue and feathers.

And yep---Swine flu is the Mexican Flu epidemic that's sweeping the nation, or at least Texas at the moment.

Pharmer you sexy devil you----Yes, veggie lasagna is awesome. I don't digest meat well anymore, so I tend to eat more veggie crap as of late, and I usually end up buying the frozen stuff for this, but tried my hand at making it from scratch (or as close as I can----I mean, I don't make pasta). Lots of mushrooms, zucchini squash and cauliflower and broccoli, not to mention carrot, onions and peppers with tomato sauce made it pretty freaking great. I'd send you some but I doubt it'd be as tasty with three month mold growing on it and all.

And I'm with you about quite a few points you made----one being the HPV (cervical cancer) vaccine. I have pretty much angered Hubs side of the family by stating that as soon as Lu is old enough for it I will be getting it for her. They believe it's wrong and sort of immoral or something, and me, well, I just want my kid to be safe no matter what she does later on in life. I've studied up on it and asked our docs about it and I'm convinced----so there. And you are right---Texas seems to be the leader in the anti tolerance movement for this particular drug. I've seen news stories about groups picketing outside clinics that offer it and to me it's just insane----if you are a parent and don't want YOUR kid to get it, I understand...totally. But to think that you have the right to tell me MY kid can't? Nonsense I tell ya. Ugh.

That's my grand wish for the world: Tolerance. Such a small word for such a big gift. Not a lot of people have it. Heck, half the time I'm guilty of not having enough.

Janny---I needs some walnuts. And a walnut cracker. I've been slamming big math books down on the ones I picked up at the store and it's making a mess lol. Plus the Ruthicon is getting pissed something fierce because she's got nut pieces in her hair.

Wouldn't be the first time she did lol......

Tolerance.

Obs:)

"Has anyone ever shown you the difference between good touch and bad touch? 'Cause I'd love to demonstrate. We could start right now.'"

*looks completely innocent*Seriously Jarrod, I have no idea what you're talking about, no one else saw it, aka I got away with it! and for your information I have either quadruple X's or triple X plus single Y... or as we said at dinner today, I have either four legs or five...

ObieGo up to Ruthicon, place a walnut between her jaws and then give her a good uppercut. Ought to beat any nutcracker/math book you could ever find. And seems more fun as well.And I'm with you in the campaign for tolerance!

About cervical cancer, they don't even produce the vaccine in Finland whereas in Sweden they do, AND it's free for everyone (who's old enough) under 26. About the hog flu vaccine... In general I wouldn't get a flu-shot (I have for two ears as my employer supplied it for free) because i have an immune system that beats down most things coming in it's way. They usually say preggos shouldn't take vaccines, since they don't know how it will affect the baby, now all of a sudden they say all preggos should take it? I'm not sure... I'm not in a risk-group for any other reason than the pup, and even with the shot I could carry it with me home (that is, if I ever venture out pup-less) so I'll wait and see. They haven't gotten the first batch of vaccine yet, I guess I'll have a few more weeks to make up my mind, and by then pup might very well be born...

Vaccines in general are great, but this time it seems like they want all vaccinated so that not too many will have to be home from work sick.

This is a day prematurely, but I'll post it still. It's a blog-entry I made about a year ago, about a certain book that changed my life. The first one was written in sheer desperation of not having someone who could/wanted to understand what this book did to me. The second just digs a bit deeper. Yeah, I'm talking about my first encounter with the Twilight saga and the wonderful writing of Stephenie Meyer.Tomorrow is my 1 year anniversary in the wonderful world of Twilight...

@oobs, i almost never use a walnutcracker. I take a sharp knife(small one), and i stink the tip of it in the lill heart of the walnut on top.just stick it int, wriggle it a litlle and the walnut will pop open. Crackers ruin the nut, can get really messy, so i rather use a knife.

Hmmmm i seriously would love to make ruthicons life miserable. im really proud of you to get such nice and creative ideas to do so.

@wingtear, around hear you get the ''new-flu''shot when youre in the last months of your pregnany because your a bigger risk at that time. My sisterinlaw got one, and sid aswell.Around here they ordered to much, there isnt really an epidemic here, and the thought there would be. So now they are sending out notices to a lot of people, when there isnt really aneed for it, but theyve already made the vaccins.But you never know, it might become epidemic eventually.Anyway, im gonna talk to sids diabetesconsultpersonthingy about the flushots. because someone told me one isnt worth anything if used withing 2 months of the pther, and they are only a month apart. and sid didnt got a flushot last yr because he was sick. yr before he got one and became sick because of it.So im not sure what would be right....

About the cancervaccin, im still a lill divided about it. yes, its nice to get a vaccin(on top of all those others you get) as a kid so you wont get it(at least not that one, theres still a chance at other forms of it). BUt its also pretty new, and we dont know what will be the sideeffects in a few years.i wouldnt know what id decided to do if i would be a mother with a daughter right now. Everyone here got one below the age of 25 orso. When i heard that i was a lill dissapointed...my grandmother died because of that cancer, and well, i always try to do what i can to prevent such things. still...its pretty new.its like when you go to the pharmacy and they want to give you a diff type of pil(they do that a lot now, because they are cheaper), and i have to demand my own brand, because i want that one, and tell them that my insurance DOES cover it. And otherwise i wouldve paid for it myself anyway. Because i dont know that other brand and you can get all kinds of sideeffect from changing to other brands. on a diff forum there are a lot of ppl who changed brands and are having all kinds of annoying sideeffects.*sigh* im ranting...anyway, i definately think people should decide for themselves, but also that they need to get informed before they make the decision. Around here kids get a lot of vaccins, but those are tested for yrs. You cant be safe enough with kids.i dont understand people who demonstrate against stuff like this. its your body, or your kid, and you should be able to make up your own mind. I love that i live in a country where you can choose those stuff, even abortion or euthenasia(?). anyone should be able to decide for themselves what they want to do with their body. (and yes, ofcourse there are rules to make sure people think about the decision and of sound mind.)

Vaccines are actually some of the safest medications available on the market, so I'd not be too worried about a new vaccine available. Then again, it's my job to dispense them, so I know all the risks involved, hence I'm happy to use them myself.

As for being "at risk" of the flu - you should know that the flu does not discriminate.

I believe a lot of people underestimate just how bad the flu can actually be. Most people who tell you they have the flu, do not, because when you have the flu, you are barely able to get out of bed. The way Janny describes Sid's illness sounds very much like what happens to people with the flu.

Anyway, the people who are "at risk" of the flu are at risk of the complications of flu, such as secondary bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, and death. Everyone remember what it was that Edward Masen was dying from? It was Spanish Flu. This flu killed very fit, healthy people.

Now, Janny mentioned that a flu vaccine made Sid sick one year. This is a very common comment that I hear, but people don't realise that the virus that you receive in the vaccine is actually dead - it can't possibly infect you - it's only there so your immune system knows what the new version of the flu looks like.

The reason people get sick after a vaccine (if they do) is because your immune system can get so busy building the defences against the disease you are being vaccinated against, that it doesn't leave enough resources to fight off other illnesses. Of course some malaise, mild headache, and aches and pains can still occur, but compared to actual flu, it's nothing at all.

Also, Janny, with the brand changing - I hope you do put your foot down. I OFFER generic brands of medications to my customers, but I never mandate it without consulting them, and if they don't want to change, I always get the brand the want.

I'm not sure of the methods used in the netherlands, but in Australia, there are three levels of generics, and the level the drug falls into alters the ability to use a generic. These levels are government tested - if your drug passes a comparison test, it means that all the active ingredients are absolutely equivalent.

SO, level 1 generics are where a new brand is made by a different company, but does not meet the government comparison tests. Can only be changed by the doctor writing a script for the active ingredient only, or changing their script to a new brand.

level 2 is where a new brands is made by a different company, and DOES meet the government comparison test. Notice though that I said all the ACTIVE ingredients are equivalent. The other ingredients (excipients) may be totally different, and this can have important impacts. Lactose, wheat starch, iodine, and other ingredients commonly used to bulk up or sterilise a tablet can have adverse effects outside of the effects of the medication itself.

Level 3 is where a new brand is RELEASED by a different company, but the tablets are actually made in the same factory as the original brand and repackaged. ie, these tablets and those tablets are the same.

So, if anyone actually found any of that interesting, well, I hope you get over the rut in your life that makes that interesting!

So now that I have a job and am too tired to post during the week, and all of us are very very chatty, I have developed a habit of writing down my responses as I read through the posts so I don't forget anything.

First of all: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JANNY AND SID!

Second: Welcome Jessica and Ash! I'm Jennifer (or Jen), 24, from Iowa, USA. I'm the resident Jasper freak, though I'm more a fan of Jackson than Jasper. He's brilliant, and gorgeous, and talented, and I'm shutting up now or you'll get six paragraphs of how wonderful he is.

Obs--- You seriously crack me up!!! How about we split that oreo? You take Daddy C and I'll take Jasper, and we'll leave the cream to them--lol. Also, "nut bath" had me thinking other extremely dirty things. And Pharmer's right: I have a dirtier mind than ANY of my male friends.

Ninna---you and your hand comments!! You are a dirty dirty girl and should be punished. *wink, wink*

Rose-- I am SOOO jealous that you can fit into that costume. I fake girly hate you for being skinny, lol.

So, dirty-ness aside, here's the me stuff: I am super depressed because this morning we got snow. SNOW!!! It's not even Halloween yet! Oh well, it's melting fast, so I'm not so sad.

I had to reset my password for this website today. Very weird. I had it set to log me in automatically, and someone must have messed with my settings. And it didn't recognize my password when I tried to type it in myself. Damn faeries. I'm not crazy--they exist! Ever misplace something, look everywhere for it, then find it in a place where you thoroughly checked and were sure it was NOT there, but it was there when you went back? That's the faeries! Trolls, in particular (not the Three Billy Goats Gruff bridge-dwelling version, but the little ones who live in the 'tween places like doorways and windowsills) like to hide things for fun. Maybe it's the Irish in me, but I was actually raised to believe in the "wee folk".